Michelle Gulyas of Hungary won the women’s Modern Pentathlon gold medal at the Paris Olympics on Sunday, scoring a world record of 1,461 points. Despite having a 13-second lead going into the last laser run, France’s Elodie Clouvel finished in second place due to several shooting misses. South Korean athlete Seong Seung-min won the bronze.
Gulyas’ precision in the laser run was crucial to her triumph, whereas Clouvel’s slow shooting cost her the lead. Others were disappointed at the event, notably France’s Marie Oteiza, who lost her medal aspirations after falling during the show jumping round. Laura Heredia of Spain was also eliminated after her horse refused to cooperate three times.
Britain’s reigning champion Kate French withdrew earlier due to sickness, allowing Germany’s Annika Zillekens to remain a reserve. The equestrian round, held against the backdrop of the Palace of Versailles, was remarkable for being the final Olympic appearance of horses in Modern Pentathlon.
The decision to switch to obstacle courses for future Games derives from problems at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, where Zillekens lost her gold medal hopes when her horse refused to jump. The incident, in which German coach Kim Raisner struck the horse, generated global concern about equestrian care and resulted in significant changes to the sport.
